 Mr Derham says he wants to transform lives |
Another well-known independent school has announced plans to open its doors to more pupils from poorer backgrounds. Rugby School in Warwickshire plans to boost the number of funded pupils, it supports through its own charitable foundation, to 80 or 10% of the school. Rugby's charitable foundation wants to raise �30m for part of this expansion. Pressure is mounting from the Charity Commission on independent schools to do more to justify their charitable status and accompanying tax breaks. Last week a leading independent school, Winchester College, said it would be increasing its fees to raise funds to provide bursaries for poorer pupils. Winchester said the levy would help "re-align" the school with the charitable intentions of its medieval founders. And Wellington College has won approval to run a state-funded academy close to several military bases. But Rugby denies it is simply trying to meet the public benefit test as set out by the Charity Commission. The school, depicted in Thomas Hughes's 19th Century novel Tom Brown's School Days, says it is the personal mission of the head master Patrick Derham to share the benefits of a good education more widely. He himself says his own life was turned around when he was given the chance to go to boarding school. Rugby plans to raise �30m through the charitable Arnold Foundation for Rugby School so it can double the number of boarders it currently funds from 20 to 40.
Another 40 day pupils will be funded through a different scheme called the Lawrence Sheriff Bequest.
A fund-raising event this week netted �59,000, with one donor paying several thousand pounds for tea and a tennis match with Boris Johnson, the new Conservative mayor of London. 'Public benefit test' Mr Derham said: "We are delighted by what the foundation has achieved so far but there are many more excellent candidates that we can currently fund. "By raising more funds, we will be able to share the benefits of a Rugby education as widely as possible and to safeguard these benefits for future generations. "We know we are making a difference. We know we are transforming lives. What we are doing can be done by other schools." The Charity Commission is currently consulting on draft guidance that could affect the tax status of independent schools. Fee-paying private schools will now have to pass a public benefit test to retain their charitable status. 'Good things' The Charity Commission wants charities to demonstrate that they are not "exclusive clubs" - and that they are "outward-looking and inclusive". A Charity Commission spokeswoman said it was keen to hear from interested parties on its draft guidelines for educational charities and those charging fees. She said lots of schools were doing good things already and that she wanted people to tell the commission about them. She added: "Charities such as museums, theatres, independent schools, hospitals and care homes can legitimately charge fees, but cannot be, in effect, exclusive clubs. What we want to ensure is that they give access to a sufficiently wide section of the public. "Charities and the public now have the chance to have their say, to tell us what aspects of the guidance are helpful, what isn't clear and what they want more of." Once the consultation responses have been gathered, the Charity Commission will publish a final set of guidelines.
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By raising more funds, we will be able to share the benefits of a Rugby education as widely as possible
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